Pickleball comes full circle in Cebu as Rising Stars eye Asia stage

Pickleball returns to its Philippine roots on Wednesday as the Kosmas Pickle Fest 2026 opens at the Net and Paddle courts in Cebu City, bringing together emerging junior standouts and seasoned competitors in a five-day tournament.

Organized by Kosmas Athletic Ventures Corp. and Sunrise Events Inc., the event serves as both a competition and a development platform aimed at identifying and nurturing the next generation of Filipino pickleball talent.

Play opens with the Novice division before the tournament expands to the Low Intermediate, High Intermediate and Open categories over the next three days.

The tournament culminates with the Rising Stars U19 Sectional Tournament on March 14–15, where top junior players will compete for a chance to advance to the PCL Asia Grand Finals in Hainan Island, China.

While the U19 division takes center stage, the adult categories are expected to feature strong competition in men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, reflecting the sport’s growing reach across age groups.

The tournament is supported by Milo, Summit and Pocari Sweat as organizers push to bring pickleball further into the Philippine sports mainstream.

The Cebu leg carries special significance because Cebu hosted the country’s first known pickleball clinic in February 2016, helping introduce the sport to the Philippines.

A decade later, pickleball has expanded into a fast-growing grassroots sport, with the Philippine Pickleball Federation tracing its development from that first Cebu clinic to clubs and tournaments across the country.

Backed by PCL Asia, the Rising Stars U19 tournament gives young athletes a structured pathway to international competition.

Winners from the sectional qualifiers earn spots in the PCL Asia Grand Finals, which PCL Asia materials list for late March to early April in Hainan Island, China.

Organizers say the pathway offers more than medals by giving players standardized competition, regional exposure and cross-border matchups designed to accelerate development.

The recent Davao leg underscored the rising depth of Filipino talent.

Team Velaris — composed of Shesha Bree Biñas, Chrystelle Marjh Elisan, Izzy Lacida and Jacob Cagas — outlasted the SABR squad, 23–21, in the championship match at Pickletown to secure the gold medal and a berth in the Asia Grand Finals.